Unprecedented data analysis ends MH370 hopes

By Tereza Pultarova

Published Monday, March 24, 2014

Inmarsat’s satellite data analysis has dispelled theories about the MH370 fate, proving the aircraft crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, where pieces of suspicious debris have been observed in the last days.

The analysis, ending hopes of relatives of the crew and passengers aboard the doomed flight, was performed jointly by the London-headquartered satellite operator and the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Upon having been briefed about the results, Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak said the plane flew ‘to a remote location, far from any possible landing sites.”

"It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean."

Performing a ‘never-done-before’ analysis, Inmarsat’s experts have managed to determine that the last position of the aircraft was above the Indian Ocean, west of the coast of Perth, Australia.

It is the same region were search operations have been focused for the past days since remote sensing satellites of several countries spotted floating objects possibly related to the missing plane.

According to available information, Inmarsat’s satellites kept receiving automated pings from the aircraft approximately every hour after all other communications system of the aircraft went silent.

That information, however, did not contain any geographical data. First calculations showed the last ping was received from somewhere within two vast arcs running south and north.

Performing further calculations, Inmarsat’s analysts managed to narrow down the area of interest to somewhere "in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth".

The news is a major breakthrough in the unprecedented two-week struggle to find out what happened to Flight MH370, which disappeared shortly after take-off from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew aboard on 8 March.

However, the exact location of the plane itself remains unknown as well as the reasons that brought it so far away from its original route and to the ultimate disaster.

The area of concern is already being examined by satellites, planes and ships of 26 nations, using the most advanced technology to spot any signs of the wreckage.

Earlier today, it was reported an Australian navy ship was close to finding possible debris from the jetliner after a mounting number of sightings of floating objects that are believed to be parts of the plane.

The objects, described as a "grey or green circular object" and an "orange rectangular object", were spotted on Monday afternoon, said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, adding that three planes were also en route to the area.